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Astros wait to find out their All-Star representative

Astros wait to find out their All-Star representative

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Jed Lowrie

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CHICAGO -- The Astros will find out Sunday which player will represent the club at next month's All-Star Game in Kansas City. It's likely the Astros will have only one representative in the Midsummer Classic, with second baseman Jose Altuve and shortstop Jed Lowrie the top candidates.

Lowrie leads all Major League shortstops with 14 home runs and also ranks first in slugging percentage (.494) and is third in RBIs among shortstops with 33. He's hitting only .217 in June, though, which has dropped his batting average to .261 entering play Sunday.

Altuve, who played in the All-Star Futures Game a year ago, appears to have a better shot of being selected as one of the reserves for manager Tony La Russa's NL squad. He's been dealing with a strained right hamstring that's kept him out of the starting lineup for six consecutive days, but is hitting .309 with five homers, 23 RBIs and has 30 multi-hit games.

He ranks second among all Major League second basemen in batting and hits (88).

"I haven't thought a lot about that, maybe because I'm not playing," Altuve said Saturday. "I'm more excited to play a game. It's going to be real fun to know who's going to represent the Astros in the All-Star Game."

Astros manager Brad Mills said he hadn't politicked for any of his players, but bench coach Joe Pettini -- La Russa's long-time bench coach with the Cardinals who will be on the NL staff -- had said he would call La Russa and make a case for any Astros he feels are worthy.

The Home Run Derby can be seen on MLB.com and ESPN at 8 p.m. ET on July 9. The All-Star Game is on FOX at 8 p.m. on July 10.